Match Preview: Vodacom Bulls vs Leinster Rugby
by Jim O'Connor, 2024-06-14
Leinster are in South Africa and this time, it ain't the kids and the B squad!
Even though the top South African teams are in their third year in the tournament, this will be the first time most of the match squad will actually play a game there in blue. This is due to the fact that Leinster's double headers down there have so far been scheduled for later in the season when Leinster have been busy in the Champions Cup. So effectively the B team travelled with a strong emphasis on youth.
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Even though the top South African teams are in their third year in the tournament, this will be the first time most of the match squad will actually play a game there in blue. This is due to the fact that Leinster's double headers down there have so far been scheduled for later in the season when Leinster have been busy in the Champions Cup. So effectively the B team travelled with a strong emphasis on youth.
moreMatch Preview: Leinster Rugby vs Ulster Rugby
by Jim O'Connor, 2024-06-07
It's knock-out rugby from now on and it's a tough road if Leinster want to win a first trophy in three years.
If they win tomorrow, they're looking at a trip to Pretoria in the semi finals, most likely. And if they get through that then it's likely a final in Limerick. That they face such a tough trip is in no small part due to the team they face tomorrow. For all the drama they've had to put up with, Ulster have beaten Leinster twice this season and if just one of those had been wins, Leinster would have finished in top spot. And they'll have their regrets about both games.
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If they win tomorrow, they're looking at a trip to Pretoria in the semi finals, most likely. And if they get through that then it's likely a final in Limerick. That they face such a tough trip is in no small part due to the team they face tomorrow. For all the drama they've had to put up with, Ulster have beaten Leinster twice this season and if just one of those had been wins, Leinster would have finished in top spot. And they'll have their regrets about both games.
moreMatch Preview: Leinster Rugby vs Connacht Rugby
by Jim O'Connor, 2024-05-31
Once again, Leinster came up agonisingly short to lose a third Champions Cup final in a row.
This time, it went to extra time after a try-less, yet breath-taking first eighty minutes. Leinster had the chance to win it at the end of normal time, but the chance was missed. The extra time period swung wildly, with Toulouse appearing to have it won, only for the momentum to swing back to Leinster, only for it to swing back to Toulouse again.
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This time, it went to extra time after a try-less, yet breath-taking first eighty minutes. Leinster had the chance to win it at the end of normal time, but the chance was missed. The extra time period swung wildly, with Toulouse appearing to have it won, only for the momentum to swing back to Leinster, only for it to swing back to Toulouse again.
moreMatch Preview: Leinster Rugby vs Stade Toulousain
by Jim O'Connor, 2024-06-14
Leinster play their third champions cup final in a row and after losing the last two, maybe the third time's the charm?
They face the mighty Toulouse, the most successful team in the history of the competition. Remarkably, for two teams who have dominated the competition, they've never met in a final before now. There have been 28 finals and either Leinster or Toulouse have played in exactly half of them. Toulouse have played in 7 finals with 5 wins and Leinster 7 finals with 4 wins. They have met in the knock-out stages on six occasions though, one quarter-final and five semis.
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They face the mighty Toulouse, the most successful team in the history of the competition. Remarkably, for two teams who have dominated the competition, they've never met in a final before now. There have been 28 finals and either Leinster or Toulouse have played in exactly half of them. Toulouse have played in 7 finals with 5 wins and Leinster 7 finals with 4 wins. They have met in the knock-out stages on six occasions though, one quarter-final and five semis.
moreMatch Preview: Ulster Rugby vs Leinster Rugby
by Jim O'Connor, 2024-05-17
It remains very tight at the top going into the second last round of games.
In the lunch-time game last Saturday, it was looking good for Leinster to reclaim their place at the top when the Bulls led Glasgow 37-10 with less than twenty minutes left. But then the Bulls had started to wind down, thinking the game was won, lazily going for penalty kicks instead of tries to really finish the Scots off.
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In the lunch-time game last Saturday, it was looking good for Leinster to reclaim their place at the top when the Bulls led Glasgow 37-10 with less than twenty minutes left. But then the Bulls had started to wind down, thinking the game was won, lazily going for penalty kicks instead of tries to really finish the Scots off.
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